General Tso Ramen

4.75 from 4 votes

This sweet and spicy General Tso Ramen combines tender chicken, sautéed mushrooms, and bok choy with ramen noodles and a flavor-packed fragrant stir-fry sauce.

Prep Time35

Cook Time15

Total Time50

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Asian

Keyword: general tso ramen

Servings: servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $7.67

Equipment

Wok or large, deep sauté pan (12 inches minimum)
Large pot

Ingredients

Sauce/Chicken Marinade

3 tablespoons soy sauce not lite
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chili garlic paste up to 3 teaspoons, see note 1
1/4 cup light brown sugar loosely packed, see note 2
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Chicken

3/4 pound (12 ounces) chicken thighs or chicken tenders, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, measure after being trimmed of fat
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon garlic
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Stir-Fry

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup diced yellow onion
3 (3-ounce) packets ramen instant noodles
2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
5 cups thinly sliced bok choy leaves 1 large bok choy
Optional garnish see note 3

US - Metric

Instructions

Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and soy sauce until smooth. Once smooth, add remaining sauce ingredients (see notes 1 and 2 first). Mix and set aside.
Start by prepping all the veggies and chicken—cooking goes fast! Dice the chicken into bite-size pieces. Dice the ginger, garlic, yellow onion, and mushrooms, and thinly slice the bok choy (see note 4). I know it seems like a lot but it cooks down!
Chicken: In a medium bowl, add the diced chicken, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. Add the salt and pepper. Toss to combine, then add cornstarch. Mix until all pieces of chicken are coated in the cornstarch. Once all the chicken and veggies are prepped, bring a large pot of water to boil.
Heat a wok or large, deep sauté pan (12 inches minimum) over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Once oil is shimmering, add the onion. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring often. Press the onion to the edges and add all the chicken mixture to the center. Cook, stirring frequently, until just browned on the outside (chicken doesn’t need to be cooked through yet), about 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté another 2 minutes. Add in the sauce and cook until just thickened (a wooden spoon can draw a track through it), about 1–2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add all the bok choy. Cook, stirring gently, for 30 seconds to wilt down the leaves.
While chicken is cooking, prepare the ramen. Open ramen packages and discard seasoning packets. Follow the package directions to cook the ramen noodles (don’t add any salt to the pasta water), cooking in boiling water for 1 minute and 30 seconds less than the package directs (for 3-minute ramen, cook for 90 seconds). Drain noodles and add on top of the stir-fry.
Add the drained ramen right to the skillet and toss with tongs to coat the noodles and fully wilt the bok choy. Taste and adjust for salt/pepper—flavors should sing. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions if desired. Add a drizzle of sesame oil and/or red pepper flakes for more heat to individual bowls. Enjoy hot!

Video

Notes

Note 1: General Tso is meant to be spicy! But if you don’t love spicy food, start with 1 teaspoon chili sauce for a tiny bit of heat, 2 teaspoons for medium, and 3 teaspoons for a good General Tso spice. The sugar balances the spice, so if you don’t add a lot of chili garlic sauce, you might not want as much sugar.

Note 2: This is the amount of sugar I like for 2–3 teaspoons of chili garlic sauce (and I usually add some red pepper flakes to individual bowls). If you aren’t adding as much spice or simply like things less sweet, slowly add brown sugar until you reach your preferred taste.

Note 3: Optional garnish: Finely sliced green onion, red pepper flakes, additional toasted sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds.

Note 4: This recipe just uses the bok choy greens; use leftover stems in another recipe). Wash the bok choy and add to a salad spinner to thoroughly dry or pat dry with paper towels.

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Keep the sauce separate from the noodles if possible to avoid sogginess. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if needed.

Nutrition